12 & UNDER DIVISION GUIDELINES

Competitors must choose ONE division to apply to.

Those under the age of 12 can choose to apply in either division. 

The 12 & Under Division is open to students worldwide who are 12 years of age or younger. Applicants must be no older than 12 years of age as of January 31, 2027.

Applicants must submit one movement from the standard concerto repertoire written for classical-size orchestra. The selected work must be approved by IYACC Conductor upon submission of the application. Orchestral parts must be available on IMSLP or NKODA (exceptions are made only if the competitor owns the orchestral parts to a newly commissioned work).

Orchestration Requirements

Instrumentation: 2222 2000, Timpani, Percussion, Strings

This designation corresponds to the following orchestration: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, timpani, percussion, strings.

All submitted concertos must conform to the above instrumentation requirements for the 12 & Under Division.

Competition Rounds

Round 1 – Preliminary Round

  • Video recording and score upload due: DATE

Round 2 – Finals

  • Four finalists will advance to compete.

  • Finals Date: Sunday, January 31, 2027 in Chicago, IL

  • The winner will be announced immediately following the final performances.

Application Process

The application consists of two steps:

Step 1: Submit applicant information and payment. You’ll first be asked to submit your registration information. After that, Acceptd will prompt you to upload your score and video.
Step 2: Upload required media

Application fees are non-refundable. By applying, participants acknowledge and consent that photos, videos, and other media from the competition may be used for promotional and publicity purposes, including publication on the competition website, print materials, and social media platforms.

Repertoire Requirements

  1. Applicants must perform one movement of a concerto.

  2. The selected repertoire remains the same for all rounds.

  3. The concerto must be available on IMSLP or NKODA. Exceptions are made only if the competitor is willing to rent the parts or already owns the orchestral parts (in the case of a newly commissioned work).

  4. Memorization is required for all rounds.

  5. The IYACC Conductor reserves the right to veto selected repertoire if it is not feasible to prepare adequately within the allotted rehearsal time.

Video Recording Requirements

  1. The performer’s body, hands, and instrument (including piano pedals, if applicable) must be visible at all times.

  2. The recording must be completed in one continuous take, with no editing.

  3. No spoken introduction is required.

  4. The concerto must be performed with a live piano accompanist.

  5. Applicants are encouraged to dress in formal performance attire.

  6. The recording must not have been filmed prior to September 1, 2026.

Scanned Score Requirements

  1. A single PDF of the complete score must be submitted (not individual pages).

  2. The score must include the piano reduction.

  3. All measures must be clearly numbered. If measure numbers are handwritten, they must be clearly legible (a color scan is recommended).

  4. The PDF file name must include the composer and title of the concerto.

Submission Guidelines

  • Video files must not exceed 4 GB per file.
    (If your file exceeds this size, please compress or convert it before uploading.)

  • Documents must not exceed 250 MB

  • Image files must not exceed 500 MB.

APPLY HERE TODAY

Participation Details

Four competitors will be selected to move to the final round. Rehearsals with orchestra will take place on Sunday morning, January 31, 2027. Final round will take place on Sunday, January 31, 2027 with one final winner.

Th final round will take place in Chicago, IL with a professional orchestra. Travel and accommodation details will be provided in a timely manner to participants who advance in the competition.

BIOGRAPHY AND HEADSHOT

If selected for final round, please submit a short biography and headshot. Biography should be no longer than 150 words.

PROFESSIONAL RECORDING

Each finalist may request a professional video and audio recording of their performance for their records and portfolio.
Note: Professional recording will be offered for $400 ($350 if prepaid before competition). All fees for the recordings will go to the orchestra musicians and recording engineers.

WINNER’S PRIZE

The winner will be given a professional audio and video recording free of charge.

Additionally, the winner will be invited back to IYACC the following year for an encore performance during that year’s final round.